The anatomy of a good brand book

Previously, we have discussed in length the importance of the brand bible. We also discussed the difference between brand book and brand guidelines.

Here, we will discuss more about brand book on a practical ground. Just like a perfect logo and nostalgic ad, a good brand book is also a form of art. At zazzy, we've seen our fair share of brand books – the good, the bad, and the "oh honey, no."

Let's discuss in detail what makes the brand book a brand book that solves problems for your company and brings scalability and efficiency to you.

Five building blocks that take the brand book from good to perfect.

1. Brand story and values
   1. Origin story: How your brand started
   2. Mission and vision statements
   3. Core values and brand promise
2. Brand positioning
   1. Target audience persona/definition
   2. Competitor analysis
   3. UPS that makes your brand stand out in a crowded market
3. Visual identity
   1. Logo design and usage guidelines
   2. Color palette with hex codes and Pantone numbers
   3. Make sure to add code in RGB as well as CMYK to make sure you can use it for digital and print media design.
   4. Along with primary colors, adding secondary colors and usage instruction is among the best practices.
   5. Typography: primary and secondary font and usage guidelines with tokens.
   6. Imagery style and photo guidelines
   7. Illustration and icon styles and guidelines
4. Voice and tonality
   1. Brand personality traits
   2. Details about how you can leverage your personality traits with your target audience
   3. Writing style guide
   4. Dos and don'ts of communication
5. Brand application
   1. Stationery design (invoice design, business cards, letterheads)
   2. Digital assets (Website, favicon, mobile application)
   3. Social media design guidelines
   4. Marketing collateral examples

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Visual elements: Making your brand stand out

A good brand book design is about laying out the details and presenting the content in the most effective way for crisp communication. The right structure for the brand bible is required to share the information for efficiency. Here is our take on it:

1. Consistent layout: Use a consistent grid system for a more cohesive structure throughout the book.
2. White space: White space is a good friend of minimal and sound design. It helps important elements stand out and make room for guided instructions.
3. High-quality images: Use professional photography or illustrations that align with the brand style and communication guidelines.
4. Interactive elements: Lately, a lot of people have started making the digital brand bible, which allows them to add multiple layers of information with interactive elements and micro animation. This makes the brand book interesting, accessible, and fun.
5. Color-coding: Use brand colors in combination with dark or light patterns to differentiate sections for easy navigation.

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Tonality and voice guidelines: Let your brand speak the same language everywhere

Your brand voice and tone set the personality of your brand. It's how people will remember you. Here's how to nail it in your brand book:

1. Personality traits: Define 3-5 key traits describing your brand personality.
2. Tonality: Document in simplest language how your brand tone shifts in different situations, including social media vs formal email communication
3. Vocabulary: List the preferred terms, words, and phrases to avoid in communication. Also, write down all the words you would highlight for your brand communication.
4. Writing samples: Provide examples of copy for various communication mediums, for example, company introduction paragraphs, tweets, blog posts, etc.
5. Localization guidelines: This is very important for you if you operate in an international market. Make sure you document the tonality based on the locality and country-specific target audience.

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Some of the best practices you should not miss

1. Keep it accessible: Whether it is a physical book, brand book PDF, or hosted on your website, it should be easy for everyone to access and use it.
2. Use real-life examples: Show your brand elements, patterns and creatives in action with mock-ups and case studies.
3. Make it actionable: Document clear instructions, action-oriented guidelines, and practical templates your team can use easily.
4. Update regularly: Most brands make the brand book and keep it on the shelf. Your brand evolves as time passes and as you achieve new milestones. Your brand book should reflect your current situation. Set a schedule for reviewing and updating your brand book at regular intervals. We at zazzy update it every six months.
5. Tell a story: Storytelling is a fundamental block of any brand building. Set a narrative throughout the book to make it engaging, memorable, and relatable.

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The zazzy sauce: Adding personality to your brand book

We strongly believe a brand book should reflect your brand personality. If you are a quirky tech startup for the new age generation, include some hidden jokes that your team speaks and relates to.

If you are a luxury brand, consider using high-end materials and photography for your physical brand book. This document is often the first introduction your new team member or partners receive, so it should reflect your brand personality.

Consider creating both a comprehensive brand bible and a condensed brand guidelines PDF for quick reference in different situations. This way, you have covered the bases, from an in-depth brand story to quick, creative guidelines.

Investing in a good brand book is an investment for future brand growth and ideal team alignment. Here are more details on the 9 steps to building a powerful brand bible. If you need additional hands, we are just an email away.